The best bars in Boston are not in Faneuil Hall. That needs to be stated clearly and early, because too many visitors lose an evening to tourist infrastructure when the real drinking is happening in Fort Point, the South End, Union Square in Somerville, and Kenmore. Boston's bar scene is better than its reputation suggests — a reputation built largely by people who drank in the wrong places and drew the wrong conclusions. Here's the corrective.
The Best Cocktail Bars in Boston
Boston's craft cocktail scene is anchored by a handful of rooms that have been setting the regional standard for over a decade. The city's bar culture moves slower than New York's — which means fewer trend-chasing openings, but also more longevity from the places that open with genuine intention.
01
Drink
Fort Point$$$$No Menu / Consultative
The most important cocktail bar in Boston and one of the most important in the country — a broad claim that the bar consistently earns. Drink in Fort Point has no cocktail menu. You sit down, the bartender asks you questions, and they build something specifically for you. The staff here are trained to a level that few American bars match. The room is dark, comfortable, and full of people who came specifically to be in it. Non-negotiable for anyone visiting Boston who cares about drinks.
Order: Tell them you want something stirred, spirit-forward, and slightly bitter. Then watch what happens.
02
Backbar
Union Square, Somerville$$$Craft / Neighbourhood
Hidden behind a door in a Union Square alley, Backbar is Somerville's best cocktail bar and one of the most underrated rooms in the Greater Boston area. The programme is serious and seasonal, the room is small enough to maintain intimacy, and the prices are meaningfully lower than their Boston proper counterparts. The staff here are lifers — people who have chosen this neighbourhood and this room over more prominent alternatives. That commitment shows in every aspect of the experience.
Order: The Somerville Sour — local whisky, honey, lemon, rosemary, egg white
03
Hawthorne
Kenmore$$$Hotel Bar / Sophisticated
The bar at the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore is the most elegant room in Boston for a serious cocktail. The programme draws on classic templates with thoughtful house modifications, the spirits selection is deep and well-curated, and the service runs at a level that makes the price point feel earned. The location near Fenway makes it an excellent choice before or after a game if you want to step out of the stadium bar experience. Book ahead for Friday evenings.
Order: The Boston Sling — gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine, pineapple, lime, Angostura
The complete Boston bar guide
Every neighbourhood covered — Fort Point, South End, Kenmore, Somerville. Our full Boston guide with 80+ listings.
Boston is one of the great sports bar cities in America — a combination of passionate fandom, a dense bar geography, and decades of practice watching teams that alternately break and repair hearts. These are the sports bars that do the format properly, with good drinks and screens in the right places.
04
Hojoko
Fenway$$Japanese / Sports
A Japanese izakaya-influenced bar at the Verb Hotel in Fenway that plays Red Sox games on massive screens while serving cocktails that would be at home in a serious cocktail bar. It is an unlikely combination that works entirely. The ramen and yakitori are excellent; the sake list is one of the best in the city; the cocktail programme draws on Japanese spirits alongside the expected bases. Arrive two hours before first pitch to get a table without a wait.
Order: The Ryoko Highball — Suntory Toki whisky, tonic water, served long and ice-cold with a lemon twist
05
Brass Union
Union Square, Somerville$$Sports / Neighbourhood
The Union Square bar that has managed the difficult trick of being a legitimate sports destination with a craft cocktail programme good enough to attract people who wouldn't normally watch the game. The screens are well-positioned; the beer list is strong; and the cocktails are made by staff who clearly chose the profession rather than fell into it. The Saturday afternoon crowd is the right crowd — neighbourhood residents who have made this their local regardless of what's on.
Order: The Union Mule — local vodka, house ginger beer, lime, cucumber
06
Alibi
Liberty Hotel, Beacon Hill$$$Hotel Bar / Historic
The bar in the former jail at the Liberty Hotel on Beacon Hill is one of Boston's most architecturally interesting drinking experiences. The original cell doors and stone walls have been incorporated into the design — it is, improbably, an excellent room for a drink. The cocktail programme is strong, the happy hour is among the city's better ones, and the outdoor courtyard bar operates through the warmer months. An experience that works despite — or because of — its history.
Order: The Jailbird — bourbon, peach bitters, honey syrup, lemon, egg white
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Craft Beer and Neighbourhood Gems
Boston's craft beer scene has grown into one of the most interesting in New England, with a cluster of neighbourhood taprooms and beer-forward bars that reward exploration. The South End and Somerville are the most productive areas for this kind of drinking.
07
Wally's Cafe Jazz Club
South End$$Jazz / Historic
Boston's oldest jazz club, operating continuously on Massachusetts Avenue since 1947 — a fact that is almost impossible to believe when you're standing inside. Wally's is tiny, loud, and magnificent. The music runs every night, performed by Berklee students and working musicians. The drinks are straightforward: beer, wine, and basic mixed drinks. Nobody comes to Wally's for the cocktails. They come because the music is real and the room has weight. An irreplaceable Boston experience.
Order: A cold Sam Adams or Harpoon IPA — the music is the point here
08
Lolita Mexican Bar
Back Bay$$$Mezcal / Tequila Focused
The best mezcal and tequila selection in Boston sits inside a Back Bay restaurant that takes agave spirits as seriously as any specialist bar on the East Coast. The selection runs deep into small-production mezcal that most people haven't encountered, and the bartenders here can navigate you through it with genuine knowledge. The cocktail programme builds on the spirits list intelligently. Come specifically for the mezcal — the negroni variations using different expressions are exceptional.
Order: The Oaxacan Negroni — mezcal expression chosen to your taste, Campari, sweet vermouth, mole bitters
09
The Bantam
South End$$Neighbourhood / All-Day
A South End neighbourhood bar that operates as a coffee shop during the day and a proper bar in the evening — a format Boston executes better than most cities. The Bantam's cocktail list is short, seasonal, and well-made; the beer selection focuses on New England craft; and the room attracts the South End residential crowd who use it as their local. The outdoor patio seats fill first. Come early enough on a Friday to secure one before the after-work crowd arrives.
Order: The South End Spritz — Aperol, local cider, fresh lemon, soda water
10
Lone Star Taco Bar
Allston$$Frozen Drinks / Tequila
Allston's best bar is technically a taco restaurant, but the bar programme — specifically the frozen cocktail programme — is what brings the neighbourhood back repeatedly. The frozen margaritas here are made properly: decent tequila, real lime juice, and served at the right temperature. The late-night food makes it a destination after last call elsewhere. The crowd is young, loud, and reliably enthusiastic. Go on a Thursday when it's operating at its best frequency.
Order: The Frozen Jalapeño Margarita — blanco tequila, lime, jalapeño-infused agave, salt rim
Boston craft beer bars
Our complete guide to the best craft beer bars and brewery taprooms in Boston and Greater Boston.
Boston rewards the visitor who is willing to cross the river to Somerville or take the T to Fort Point. The city's instinct is to keep good things slightly hidden — which means that what you find when you look properly is genuinely excellent. Start with Drink because you should always start with the best. End at Wally's because it is irreplaceable. Everything in between is yours to discover.
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